CREATIVITY SCAVENGER HUNT --show kids the "categories" in the following slide show and challenge them to create a similar slideshow, ...but --try to locate images they think will be more creative than anyone else's. Kids share their slideshow and then students VOTE! FUN!!!!
CREATIVITY IN OUR PROGRAM:
Our program focuses heavily on creativity, infusing it into all –what we do, how we do it, and why we do what we do. While it is true that some students have a natural creative gift, with instruction and practice, creativity can be
learned just like reading! Most children enter first grade as non-readers; however, there are those few
Kindergarten children who are fluent readers, even reading with expression and changing their voice for each character. With the efforts of daily teaching and helping parents, all children learn to read. Reading skills are
introduced and practiced in one form or another throughout all a student’s years in school.
Imagine the possibilities of like immersion in creativity. All students would be involved in daily instruction in creativity, developing that ability within themselves. Those who naturally have that talent would exercise it to heights impossible to measure. I taught piano lessons for several years and discovered quickly that even students
lacking natural musical ability learned to play through daily practice and ongoing instruction.
The teaching of creativity is vital for today’s world. The problems we face require creative responses. It is
preposterous to believe that somehow that will occur without instruction and the exercising of creative thought and application. Would you rather have a lawyer, or a creative lawyer working on a case? Would you rather have a regular physician, or a creative physician if you were diagnosed with a terminal disease? Would you rather your child have a teacher, or a creative teacher? Creativity increases the productivity of the individual and increases the efficiency and effectiveness of problem solving. It must be taught and taught in a deliberate manner, honoring its value to today’s student and our world.
learned just like reading! Most children enter first grade as non-readers; however, there are those few
Kindergarten children who are fluent readers, even reading with expression and changing their voice for each character. With the efforts of daily teaching and helping parents, all children learn to read. Reading skills are
introduced and practiced in one form or another throughout all a student’s years in school.
Imagine the possibilities of like immersion in creativity. All students would be involved in daily instruction in creativity, developing that ability within themselves. Those who naturally have that talent would exercise it to heights impossible to measure. I taught piano lessons for several years and discovered quickly that even students
lacking natural musical ability learned to play through daily practice and ongoing instruction.
The teaching of creativity is vital for today’s world. The problems we face require creative responses. It is
preposterous to believe that somehow that will occur without instruction and the exercising of creative thought and application. Would you rather have a lawyer, or a creative lawyer working on a case? Would you rather have a regular physician, or a creative physician if you were diagnosed with a terminal disease? Would you rather your child have a teacher, or a creative teacher? Creativity increases the productivity of the individual and increases the efficiency and effectiveness of problem solving. It must be taught and taught in a deliberate manner, honoring its value to today’s student and our world.
BARRIERS TO CREATIVITY
Be aware of them so you can break out when they try to hold you back!
1. Fear of mistakes (see "Mistakes" under CREATIVITY FACTS on this website) --understand that mistakes often help you to be MORE creative
2. Habits --expecting and looking for things to always be a certain way...ask yourself, "What if?" Look for opportunities to try new things.
Be aware of them so you can break out when they try to hold you back!
1. Fear of mistakes (see "Mistakes" under CREATIVITY FACTS on this website) --understand that mistakes often help you to be MORE creative
2. Habits --expecting and looking for things to always be a certain way...ask yourself, "What if?" Look for opportunities to try new things.
3. ...something called "self-censorship" --that inside voice that tries to hold you back, saying you will look stupid; that voice that makes you afraid by saying your idea will never work. It’s like getting into a cold swimming pool — you can dive in head first, or inch your way in. Either way, it’s going to be bone-chillingly cold. But once you’ve got over the initial shock and got into the flow of it, you may be surprised to discover how great you feel.
4. Criticism. Nobody likes to be criticized. Unfortunately, those negative Debbie-Downer types are out there. Don't give them power over you. Their comments are more about who they are than about your idea.
5. Perfectionism. There are NO perfect ideas or solutions --believing there is, robs you of your creativity! All ideas are simply that --ideas. To even come a little close to "perfect," ideas have to be worked with and improved and worked with some more...
Check out "the Creativity Post" --great website with lots of good articles about creativity
Although creativity is part of all learning activities, occasionally a creativity skill is taught in isolation in order to hone in on the skill. The link at the bottoms shows a few of the "isolation" creativity projects we've done:
REJECTING THE ORDINARY --
...so what can a circle be?
The challenge was to think creatively, rejecting the things most people would think of, forcing students to distinguish between what is ordinary and what truly unique. Students utilized KERPOOF (free digital online drawing program) in their creations.
This activity began with all students working collectively to brainstorm 200 things that a circle could be turned into. Each of these was recorded. Then students had to think of something NOT named to turn their circle into.
The challenge was to think creatively, rejecting the things most people would think of, forcing students to distinguish between what is ordinary and what truly unique. Students utilized KERPOOF (free digital online drawing program) in their creations.
This activity began with all students working collectively to brainstorm 200 things that a circle could be turned into. Each of these was recorded. Then students had to think of something NOT named to turn their circle into.
